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Department of Pharmacy Assitant Professor, P. Rami Reddy Memorial College of Pharmacy [PRRMCP], Kadapa,
2
ABSTRACT
‘Cerebral’ – refers to the brain. ‘Palsy’ – can mean weakness or paralysis or lack of muscle control. Therefore,
cerebral palsy is a disorder of muscle control which results from some damage to part of the brain. Cerebral palsy
(CP) is a group of permanent disorders of the development of movement and posture, causing activity limitation,
that are attributed to non-progressive disturbances that occurred in the developing foetal or infant brain. The
motor disorders of cerebral palsy are often accompanied by disturbances of sensation, perception, cognition,
communication, and behaviour, by epilepsy, and by secondary musculoskeletal problems. Approximately 80% to
90% of children with cerebral palsy have spastic cerebral palsy. The diagnosis of spasticity in children with CP
requires a complete physical examination, with ancillary testing as needed. The aim of treatment is to encourage
the child to learn to be as independent as possible. Some children who have mild cerebral palsy will not have
any problems in achieving independence. For others, it will be a slow process. In some with severe difficulties,
considerable assistance from others will always be needed. Specific treatment varies by individual and changes
as needed if new issues develop. In general, treatment focuses on ways to maintain or improve a person’s quality
of life and overall health. The goal of management of cerebral palsy is not to cure or to achieve normalcy but to
increase functionality, improve capabilities, and sustain health in terms of locomotion, cognitive development,
social interaction, and independence.
Key words: Cerebral palsy, Management, Treatment, Children.
INTRODUCTION
DEFINITION disabilities in poor-resource settings (Glad-
Cerebral Palsy is a group of permanent, but stone, 2010). Not only the prevalence of
not unchanging, disorders of movement childhood disability is on the rise and Cerebral
and/or posture and of motor function, which Palsy is one of the costliest chronic condi- DOI: 10.5530/ijopp.11.2.23
are due to a non-progressive interference, tions, but also life expectancies are improving,
Address for
lesion, or abnormality of the developing/ which increases the burden of Cerebral correspondence:
immature brain.1 Palsy (Papavasiliou, 2009). For comparison, in Padmakar S,
the USA, there are approximately 700’000 Pharm.d intership,P. Rami Reddy
Cerebral palsy is primarily a disorder of Memorial College of Pharmacy
children with Cerebral Palsy, 2-5/ 1000 [PRRMCP], Kadapa, Andhra
movement and posture. It is defined as an
born. Pradesh, INDIA.
“umbrella term covering a group of non- Phone no: 9603656446
progressive, but often changing, motor Cerebral Palsy is the most common motor Email Id: spadmakar717@gmail.
or anomalies of the brain arising in the early Cerebral Palsy is very diverse and multifac-
stages of its development”.2 torial. The causes are congenital, genetic,
inflammatory, infectious, anoxic, traumatic
and metabolic. Population-based studies
EPIDEMOLOGY from around the world report prevalence
Unfortunately, it is difficult to access and estimates of Cerebral Palsy ranging from
clarify the prevalence and incidence rate of 1.5 to more than 4 per 1,000 live births or www.ijopp.org
104 Indian Journal of Pharmacy Practice, Vol 11, Issue 2, Apr-Jun, 2018
Padmakar, et al. Management and Treatment of Cerebral palsy in children
and most are cerebral, such as schizencephaly and Viral infection in pregnancy
hydrocephaly.9 Non-cerebral malformations are also Studies using polymerase chain reaction techniques
increased, such as cardiac, musculoskeletal, and urinary.10 on neonatal blood spots from CP cases and controls
In a case-control study of 494 singleton infants with show increased CP risk after both Cytomegalovirus and
CP born >35 weeks’ gestation included on the Western Epstein-Barr virus infections during pregnancy.17
Australian Register of Developmental Anomalies and Epidemiological studies do not associate upper respi-
508 matched controls, birth defects (42.3%) and fetal ratory infections during pregnancy with CP, but some
growth restriction (16.5%) were more strongly associated studies have associated increased risk with bacterial
with CP than potentially asphyxial birth events (8.5%) urinary tract infections.12,18
and inflammation (4.8%).11 Birth defects had the largest
association with CP in that study in both term and Genetic causes of CP
preterm babies. Growth restricted babies with birth Genetic causes have long been suspected because of the
defects were at special risk of CP. The strong association link with congenital malformations, and increased risk
with congenital abnormalities suggests possible genetic in consanguineous families and monozygotic twins.43
factors although congenital infections, nutritional Although initially candidate gene association studies
disorders, and teratogenic influences all contribute to suggested that several genes may be linked to CP, the
maldevelopment. power of these studies was low and multiple comparisons
weakened their validity.19,20
INTRAUTERINE INFECTION
There are many probable antenatal causes of white- DIAGNOSIS
matter damage and risk factors for CP. Some of these Observation of slow motor development, abnormal
causes include damage acquired following perinatal muscle tone, and unusual posture are common initial
infection (i.e., maternal infection that affects the foetus clues to the diagnosis of cerebral palsy. Assessment
and its brain during pregnancy and/or labour or in the of persistent infantile reflexes is important. In infants
neonatal period).12 Viral or bacterial infections may be who do not have cerebral palsy, the Moro reflex is rarely
relatively silent during pregnancy and not recognized present after six months of age, and hand preference
clinically at the time and the placenta is often discarded rarely develops earlier than 12 months of age. Hand
without histological examination for inflammatory preference may occur before 12 months of age if spastic
pathology. Maternal reports of fever or infection during hemiplegia is present.21 Progressive hereditary neuro-
pregnancy are significantly associated with an increased logic or metabolic disorders must be eliminated as the
risk of CP in our recent large Australian case-control cause of observed abnormalities. The testing strategy is
study.13 Evidence of intrauterine infection, evidenced based on the clinical picture, pattern of development of
by histological chorioamnionitis in the placenta and symptoms, family history, and other factors influencing
membranes or intrapartum pyrexia, is associated with the probability of specific diagnoses. Targeted laboratory
a 4-fold increase in CP (odds ratio 3.8; 95% confidence tests and cerebral imaging using computed tomography,
interval, 1.5e10.1) in term infants.14 magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound are useful
physical diagnostic tools. Surveillance for associated
Intrauterine growth restriction
disabilities such as hearing and vision impairment, seizures,
IUGR is associated with up to a 10 to 30 fold increase perception problems with touch or pain, and cognitive
in the risk of CP at term.15In particular, spastic CP dysfunction can help complete the clinical assessment
increases with the degree of fatal growth restriction. and determine the diagnosis.22
A growth-restricted foetus may show signs of possible
fatal compromise during labour. This can reflect reduced
capacity/reserves to withstand the normal stresses MANAGEMENT
of labour, established neurological and ongoing fatal The goal of management of cerebral palsy is not to
compromise, or both. It is not possible to distinguish cure or to achieve normalcy but to increase functionality,
between these timings. improve capabilities, and sustain health in terms of
locomotion, cognitive development, social interaction,
Multiple pregnancy and independence. The best clinical outcomes result
Multiple pregnancy increases CP risk 2-fold in each from early, intensive management. Optimal treatment
twin. In vitro fertilization twins each have >4-fold risk in children requires a team approach.23 A modern team
(9.5/1000), giving another reason to encourage single approach focuses on total patient development, not
embryo transfer in fertility programs.16 just on improvement of a single symptom. Treatment
106 Indian Journal of Pharmacy Practice, Vol 11, Issue 2, Apr-Jun, 2018
Padmakar, et al. Management and Treatment of Cerebral palsy in children
occasionally used, particularly in children over the age 2. Mutch L, Alberman E, Hagberg B, Kodama K, Perat MV. Cerebral palsy
epidemiology: where are we now and where are we going? Dev Med Child
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• Benzhexol hydrochloride (‘Artane’) reduces salivary 3. Morris C. Definition and classification of cerebral palsy: A historical perspective.
Dev Med Child Neurol Suppl. [Historical Article]. 2007;49(s109):3-7.
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4. Nutrition
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A dietitian can provide useful advice about adequate palsy and perinatal death in term and late preterm singletons. Obstet Gynecol.
2013;122(4):869-77.
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failure to make adequate weight gains may be related to 13. O’Callaghan ME, MacLennan AH, Gibson CS, et al. Epidemiologic associations
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16. Davies MJ, Moore VM, Willson KJ, et al. Reproductive technologies and the
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